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Author Answers Questions About Book Set In Vinton County

David Kershner is a Midwest author whose book, Foreign and Domestic, Part I: When Rome Stumbles, takes place primarily in southeast Ohio. The book is available online on Amazon and in Barnes and Noble. The Courier had a few questions for Kershner on his book and how Vinton County is central to his plot:

Can you give readers a brief synopsis of what the book is about?

This is a story about redemption. The main character, Josh Simmons, relocates to the Vinton County region because it resembles his childhood home in North Carolina. When a plane is shot down over his wheat farm, Josh and his family find themselves protecting the lone survivor, Samantha. She is the head of a GMO (genetically modified organism) company that is working with the head of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to expose GMO's as the ticking genetic time bomb that they are. Government and corporate greed, collusion and conspiracies abound in this book.

How does Vinton County play a role in your book?

Josh's farm is located in Vinton County because he wanted something familiar looking that is remote and private. In addition to Josh's farm, there are regional scenes in McArthur, Salt Creek Hunting Preserve, Ash Cave, Snyder Field and Ohio University. Not to give too much away, but Parts II and III will feature additional regional locales like Old Man's Cave and the Moonville Tunnel.

What led you to feature Vinton County in your work?

My family and I visit the region from time to time to hike and zip line, and it was during those visits I noticed the similarity to my own childhood home in Clifton, Va. as well as my college days in Appalachian State University. There was something about the rolling hills and heavy forests that sparked a memory and that was enough of an impulse.

And this is just one book out of a potential series?

Yes, this is the first part of a three-part series. As I was doing my research and developing my characters and story lines, it became apparent very quickly the story I wanted to tell would never work in one book. I thrive on the details. The more I know about the character the better chance I have to relate. So I took my time to develop the story because I wanted it to contain the detail that I would look for in a book.

How can interested readers get your book? The paperback version is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. An electronic version for iPad, Kindle and Nook should be out sometime in September.